Archaon, Lord of Chaos
'Introduction' Since the fall of the Old Ones and the collapse of the Gate of Heaven, Chaos has threatened to overwhelm and destroy the world. But the gods of Chaos are fickle and capricious, and rarely have they combined their forces for this purpose, instead preffering to futher their own twisted schemes of domination in the hopes of ruling unchallenged. Be that as it may, every few centuries there is a mortal champion who is destinated for the greatest blessings of Chaos. He is the Lord of Chaos, the Everchosen, who the Chaos gods unite behind, bestowing all their gifts upon him. Each time one of these great warlords has walked the world it has heralded war and plague, famine and destruction on a massive scale. Nature itself abhors his presence, the ground splits asunder at his feet, the air churns and swirls around him. He is Chaos Incarnate, and the herald of the Apocalypse. On each of the previous occasions when the Everchosen has appeared, there has been a champion of Light to defeat him. The fate of the world coming down to single combat between these two forces. Each time, the forces of Chaos have been thwarted on the brink of total victory. But now another Everchosen has risen to power. For over a century, the Lord Archaon has quested across the wastes of the north to prove his worth, seeking out the artifacts of power that belonged to his predecessors. For many years he searched, looking for the final talisman of destiny which he required to allow the gods of Chaos to unite fully behind him. The Crown of Domination eluded him though, no matter how far he scoured the land or how large his army grew. But then another appeared: Harbinger, Be'lakor, messenger of Chaos, a demon prince who has embodied the essence of Chaos, the first ever Champion. Once again he came back from his abode in the heavens to seek out the Everchosen, and told Archaon of the unholy resting place of the Crown of Domination. Almost unopposed, Archaon led his army into the Worlds Edge Mountains in frozen Kislev, to the First Shrine to Chaos. Here he battled single-handedly against beasts and demons and eventually won the right to be crowned Lord of Chaos. Realising that his own glory was not to be, the Harbinger was forced to take the Crown from Archaon and perform the unholy coronation that confirmed the Chaos Lord's status as the favoured conqueror of the gods. Now a massive army gathers in the north as Archaon prepares to sweep the world away in a tide of bloodshed battle, so that finally Chaos will rule over the mortal world. With the armies of Light beleaguered on all sides, shattered by the fighting on Albion, spread thin across the globe, there is little that can be done to stop him. Where now is the champion of Light to oppose Chaos? And whoever that is, is there might enough left in the world to break the largest Chaos army to have swept from the north since the time of Sigmar? 'Facts' Archaon is the most powerful Chaos Lord ever to walk the Old World, blessed above all others by the powers of Chaos. 'Magic Items' Weapons: He wields the Slayer of Kings. Inside this blade is trapped the greater demon U'zuhl, bound to the blade by the Second Chosen, Vangel, who fell in battle against Gromrir Goldfist. Aeons of imprisonment inside the blade have driven the demon insane with rage. In battle, the blade moan with barely contained fury. Armour: He wears Armour of Morkar. Once belonging to the First Chosen of Chaos, the Lord Morkar, who was eventually slain by Sigmar, this armour shields Archaon from all but the deadliest of blows. Mount: Archaon rides the demonic beast known variously as Dorghar, Ghurshy'ish'phak, Yrontalie, but most commonly as the Steed of the Apocalypse. The Crown of Domination: An ancient battle-helm dating back to the time of Morkar, the Crown of Domination exudes an aura of raw malice, cowing the unruly servants of Chaos and terrifying the enemy. The Eye of Sheerian: Named after the Tzeentchian Sorcerer who first discovered it, dates back to the times of the Old Ones, before even Chaos walked the world. Now that he has its proper setting, the Crown of Domination, Archaon can make full use of the Eye's prophetic powers. Quotes Fear me mortals, for I am the Anointed, the favoured Son of Chaos, the Scourge of the World. The armies of the gods rally behind me, and it is by my will and by my sword that your weakling nations shall fall